HC Deb 31 July 1984 vol 65 cc172-3W
Mr. Corbyn

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the 18 books that have come to the attention of the D Notice Committee during the last five years and indicate which ones were considered to need D Notice comment in some degree.

Mr. Lee

No. The satisfactory working of the D Notice system, which is voluntary, is dependent on authors and publishers knowing that their discussions with the Defence, Press and Broadcasting Committee are regarded by the committee as taking place in confidence.

Mr. Corbyn

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of running the D Notice Committee for each of the last five years.

Mr. Lee

The main cost of the Defence, Press and Broadcasting Committee lies in the salaries of the secretary of the committee, his personal assistant and, since 1983–84, the associate secretary, which amounted to the following sums in the years given:

£
1979–80 17,813
1980–81 19,312
1981–82 20,797
1982–83 23,101
1983–84 25,989